Compression of air and utilization thereof.



No. 637,659. Patented Nov. 21, 1899.- E. E. PETTEE &. .1. J. McGUTCHAN. CUMPBEQSIUN OF'AI R AND UTILIZATlON THEREOF.

(Application filed m}. 9, 1899.

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No. 637,656. Patented Nov. 2|, I899. E. E PETTEE & J. .1. McCUTCHAN. COMPRESSION OF AIR AND UTILIZATION THEREOF.

(Application filed Mar. 9, 1899.]

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UNITED- STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDYVARD E. PETTEE AND JOHN J. MOCUTCHAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AS-

SIGNORS, BY MESN E ASSIGNMENTS,

COMPANY, OF NEW YORK.

TO THE AUTOMATIC AIR CARRIAGE COMPRESSION OF AIR AND UTILIZATION THEREOF.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,659, dated November 21, 1899.

Application filed March 9, 1899. Serial No. 708,421. (No specimens.)

T aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, EDWARD E. PETTEE- and JOHN J. MCCUTCHAN, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Compression of Air and Utilization Thereof; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and ex- I0 act description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in the compression of I 5 air andthe utilization of the compressed air for motive purposes.

The main characteristic feature of our invention consists in utilizing in the motor-cylinder the heat of compression developed in the air-compressor; .In practice we realize this result by discharging the condensed air as soon as compressed directly from the compressor into the adjacent motor by a short connecting-pipe, which pipe is jacketed by 2 5 the exhaust-pipe from the explosive-engine which operates the compressor, the arrangement being such that the products of combustion from the explosive-engine at a considerably higher temperature than that of the com- 0 pressed air traverse the jacket surrounding the compressed-air-conducting pipe throughout the entire length of said pipe and preferably pass through an annular passage or jacket exterior to the working cylinder of the motor, finally passing out through the motorcylinder exhaust.

A further important feature of our invention consistsin supplying the compressor with moist warm air, the air receiving its moisture at atmospheric pressure, at which pressure its capacity for holding moisture in suspension is greater than at any higher pressure or greater density at any given temperature. For the purpose of simultaneously warming and moistening the air-supply of the compressor we preferably bring it into contact with the water employed forsupplying the water-jacket for the explosive-engine, whereby the air itself is made available for abstracting heat from the water and keeping it at the desired modcrate temperature.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents in plan view, partly in section, an arrangement of parts embodying our inven tion. Fig. 2 represents in central vertical section the compressor and the explosive-engine for operating the same. Fig. 3 represents a central section through the air-motor. Fig. 4 represents a cross-section through the air preheating and moistening tank.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the cylinder of the explosive-engine, and A the piston thereof, said piston being connected by the oscillatory rod B with the crank-shaft C. The piston D of the air-compressing cylinder E is connected to the crank-shaft C at an angle of one hundred and eighty degrees to the crank connection of the engine-cylinder by means of the rod B.

Upon the outer end of the crank-shaft C is mounted the balance-wheel F, fixed to the shaft, as is also the gear F,which gear meshes with the gear F fixed to the cam-shaft F and 7 5 of twice the diameter of the gear F. Upon the cam-shaft F are fixed the cams a a a, which are adapted to actuate the corresponding rods 0. a a said rods being provided with springs, as shown, for maintaining their 8o lower ends in contact with the surfaces of the cams. To the rod a is attached the valve 12*, which governs the inlet to the explosive-engine. To the rod a is attached the valve 12 which governs the exhaust of the explosive- 8 5 engine, and the rod of terminates as a contact for closing an electric circuit through the conductors b b As the rod or rises itmakes electric connection with the insulated contact I), so that when the rod a is with- 0 drawn from the insulated contact an electric spark is formed to explode the mixture of gas and air or oil-vapor and air within the space G. The explosion of the mixture causes the piston A to descend and drives the air-com 5 pressor piston D upwardly, thereby compress ing the air in front of the piston D and cansing it. to pass through the exhaust-valve c into the conducting-pipe The air-compressor cylinder is provided with'an inletleases the rod a and the valve 19* closes.

valve 0 which opens and permits the entrance of air into the cylinder E on the downward stroke of the piston D. I

To start the explosive-engine, the balancewheel F is turned one revolution until the piston A has descended within its cylinder and drawn air and gas or air and oil-vapor in their proper proportions through the valve bZwhichhas been opened by the cam a as the piston descended. When the piston reaches the downward limit of its stroke, the cam a? re- As the piston A rises the mixture of air and gas is compressed within-the space G, and at-the same time the cam 01. raises the rod a causing itto make contact with the insulated contact b. When the piston A has reached the upper limit of its stroke, the balance-wheel When the piston A has reached the limit of.

its upstroke, the cam a lets go of the rod a whereupon said rod drops and closes the valve b At the same timethe'valve 1) opens and a new supply of gas and air is drawn into the cylinder, as hereinbefore described.

To supply the explosive-engine with fuel,

. we may conveniently employ a storage-receptacle L, containing either oil or compressed gas, and to extract the heat from the walls of the expansion-cylinder to a suitable degree I we provide an annular space 0 within which water may circulate from the water-reservoir M. From the space 0 for this purpose pipes f f 3 lead into the water-reservoir M and terreceptacle Maud finally through the pipe f to the air-compressor cylinder.

The pipe H leads directly to the distributing-chamber N of the motor and is jacketed throughout its entire length by the exhaustconduit N of the explosive-engine, so that tion of ice at the point of passage of the expanded air into the atmosphere, a difficulty frequently encountered, especially in cold weather, and which sometimes results in di niihishing and choking the exhaust-air outlet 7 and finally closing it, thereby stopping the motor.

The motor-cylinderis provided with a pis ton P, and the distributing-chest N is provided with-a slide-valve N the latter being operated by an eccentric or otherwise from the crank-shaft to which the piston is attached, as will be readily understood. A branch H may be taken from the pipe H, if desired, to supply an auxilliary reservoir M, havinga safety-valve m and gage m said reservoir being adapted to receive a reserve or surplus quantity of compressed air to assist in the operation of the motor when fora limited time its requirements are greater than would be supplied by the normal output of the compressor-cylinder.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is- I 1 The method of compressing air and utilizing the same for motive purposes which consistsin preheating and moistening the air I perature developed in the air-compressor cylinder during its passage into the motor; substantiall-y as described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD E.'PETTEE. JOHN J. MOOUTOHAN.

Witnesses:

J AS. F; WILLIAMSON, ROBERT R. BLooD.

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